Blur: Last News

Blur‘s Alex James has announced plans for a Britpop Classical concert at this year’s Big Feastival. Check out info and footage of what to expect below.The bash which combines live music with food attractions, is due to take place at James’ Cotswolds farm near Kingham, Oxfordshire, from August 22-24.Much like the Ministry Of Sound Classical concerts, which reimagine classic dance tracks with an orchestra and guest singers, the musician and cheesemaker will lead a Britpop classical set, with a live band alongside a full orchestra, on the closing night (August 24) at his three day festival.Announcing the concert at a special launch party at the LVLS in Hackney last night (April 3), James confirmed the show will feature the London Concert Orchestra and a band featuring two guitarists, two keyboardists, four singers and a number of special guests singing anthems by the likes of Blur, Oasis, Pulp, Supergrass and many more.He said: “Last summer we had Ministry Of Sound Classical headline and it literally fucking blew me away.

Robbie Williams says that his performance of ‘Parklife’ with Danny Dyer at BST Hyde Park last year “made no sense on paper” but “all the sense in the world on stage”.When taking to the stage, the actor performed the Cockney spoken-word parts, as originally done by Quadrophenia actor Phil Daniels. “It’s the double act you didn’t know you needed in your life!” exclaimed Williams as the song began.Speaking to JK and Kelly Brook on Heart Drive yesterday (March 25), Williams reflected on the surprise collaboration.“I mean, me and Danny Dyer make no sense on paper,” said the singer.

Damon Albarn has shared a preview of his forthcoming “electro-opera” The Magic Flute II: La Malédiction.The opera, which is set to premiere in Paris next Thursday (March 27), is based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s 1807’s The Magic Flute Part II. The 1791 original was an opera in two acts to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder.

Gene line-up have reunited and announced their first live show in over 20 years. Read NME‘s interview with frontman Martin Rossiter below, where he discusses what to expect from the “spectacular” gig.Rossiter, drummer Matt James, guitarist Steve Mason and bassist Kevin Miles are set to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their debut album ‘Olympian’ with a comeback concert at the Eventim Apollo in London on October 4.It will be their first show since they last played in the capital at the now-defunct London Astoria on December 16, 2004.

Blur‘s Graham Coxon has reflected on the “flipping bizarre” moment Robbie Williams and Danny Dyer covered ‘Parklife’ last year.Back in July, the Marching Power actor teamed up with Williams for the surprise collaboration at his headline set at BST Hyde Park, with Dyer performing the Cockney spoken-word parts, as originally done by Quadrophenia actor Phil Daniels.The Eastenders actor later explained he was approached by Williams to perform the Blur classic during a recent Soccer Aid event. “I said yes,” he remembered at the time, “and then I thought, ‘Oh, now I’ve got to do it.’“I love the tune,” he added. “I love Robbie and we done it.

Blur have announced a new merch capsule and two new versions of ‘The Magic Whip’ to celebrate the album’s 10th anniversary. Find the details below.News of the new releases come a decade on from the release of the chart-topping eighth studio album from the Britpop icons, and will arrive in time for Record Store Day 2025.Following on from the 2015 original release, this spring will see the band reshare the album in two new vinyl formats, along with new, updated artwork from artist and designer Tony Hung.The first is set to arrive on Record Store Day (April 12), and will be a 10th Anniversary Edition Half-Speed Mastered Zoetrope Picture Disc, available exclusively in independent record stores.

Blur‘s Damon Albarn has recalled his time with the late Marianne Faithfull and shared that they used to get “quite lairy”.The death of the iconic singer and actor was confirmed yesterday (January 30) by her representatives who announced that she had “passed away peacefully in London” at the age of 78, “in the company of her loving family.”Mick Jagger shared a personal message to his former partner while Metallica described her as “fearless” and Morrissey said she “brought us all closer”. Sir Paul McCartney also shared a tribute, describing Faithfull as “beautiful and sweet”.

Blur‘s Alex James has revealed that he once got kicked out of a church party for using a “naked baby Jesus” figurine as an ashtray.In his recent autobiography Over The Rainbow: Tales from an Unexpected Year, released on December 5, James shared the anecdote, via the Metro, which had apparently happened at a Christmas church party in 2023.“I had been smoking in the room with the art and the objects, as usual,” James wrote. “Someone I didn’t know had said, ‘I’m not sure if you’re allowed to smoke in here’.

Gavin & Stacey star Ruth Jones and Blur‘s Damon Albarn are set to read the Shipping Forecast – a Met Office broadcast of weather reports and forecasts for the seas around the UK.Jones will make her final appearance as Nessa from the BBC sitcom on Radio 4 on New Year’s Day (January 1) to celebrate 100 years of the weather service.She said: “Nessa has got quite a colourful history and one of her jobs was on the high seas. The Shipping Forecast was always very important and useful to her.”It comes following the finale of Gavin & Stacey which aired on Christmas Day (December 25) which saw Smithy (James Corden) stopping Nessa from going back to work on the ships after chasing her down to Southampton dock.

Blur‘s Alex James has weighed in on Labour’s planned changes to the inheritance tax policy for farms.The bassist of the Britpop group, who released the memoir Over The Rainbow: Tales Of An Unexpected Year earlier this month, turned to farming during their hiatus in the 2000s. He’s since carved a name for himself in the cheese world, even launching one named after New Order’s Blue Monday.In a new interview with Channel 4 News‘s Krishnan Guru-Murthy, James has reflected on his “cliche” decision to buy a farm post-Blur, as well as the recent news that the government would be introducing an inheritance tax on some farmer’s assets.James recalled entering the industry during a precarious era.

Alex James has said he “burst into tears” when he saw his teenage daughter in the crowd at a recent Blur show.The bassist of the Britpop group, who released the memoir Over The Rainbow: Tales Of An Unexpected Year earlier this month, has reflected on the band’s new generation of fans, and on his children attending Blur concert.Speaking to Channel 4 News, James recalled an early reunion warm-up show in Eastbourne, where he joked that his older children “all got drunk immediately and fell over and started going absolutely mental”. However, he noted that his youngest daughter, who is 14 years old, was surprisingly moved by the gig.“I knew where she was standing, they put her on the viewing platform and when they switch the lights on, you literally can’t see anything but the first time the house lights came up I knew where she was standing and I stole a glance over there,” James said.“And she was like head back, arms aloft and I literally, I just burst into tears.

Alex James has revealed Banksy was backstage at Blur‘s Wembley reunion and “loved” the show.Blur announced details of their one-off UK reunion gig at London’s Wembley Stadium in 2022, marking the band’s first headline show since 2015 following the release of the critically-acclaimed comeback album ‘The Magic Whip‘.Due to overwhelming demand, the reunion gig turned into a two-parter, with a second show announced shortly after. The 25-song setlist for the gigs saw them wheel through classics like ‘Girls & Boys’, ‘Tender’, ‘The Universal’ and of course, ‘Song 2’, and perform ‘Lot 105’ for the first time since 1994.James recently appeared on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show to reflect on the gigs, and host Evans mentioned how “fleetingly” the bassist had spoken about the mysterious artist attending the first Wembley show.“He’s very close with Damon,” he explained of his presence backstage.

Alex James of Blur has said he “genuinely won’t be going” to see the upcoming Oasis 2025 reunion tour.Earlier this week, James was asked about Oasis’ highly-anticipated, sold-out reunion tour, which includes multiple stops at Wembley Stadium, a venue where Blur have performed multiple times.Speaking to The Observer, the bassist said he was “delighted” for his former Britpop rivals, adding: “And it’s nice that they waited till we got our shit out the way, you know? That’s very good manners.”His comments followed Blur wrapped up the tour supporting their ninth studio album ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ in late November 2023, which preceded a prominent slot at Coachella 2024.This morning (December 4), James spoke further about the reunion on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X.When asked by Moyles if he had secured tickets yet, James echoed his earlier comments, saying: “I am not sure that I will be going. Look, it was very good manners that they waited until we got all our junk out the way.”Moyles then asked if James thinks Blur’s recent reunion inspired Liam and Noel Gallagher to get back together, to which he responded: “Well, it’s just that I’m always reading terrible statistics about marriages ending in divorce.

Alex James has shared his thoughts on the reunion of Oasis, saying that “it’s nice that they waited till we got our shit out the way”, referring to Blur and their recent tour.The Observer published an interview with the Blur bassist yesterday (December 1) about Over the Rainbow, the forthcoming third autobiography by James after 2007’s Bit of a Blur and 2012’s All Cheeses Great and Small.James was asked about Oasis’ highly-anticipated, sold-out reunion tour, including a return to Wembley Stadium, a venue that Blur has performed multiple times.“I’m so happy for them. Delighted,” James said.

Primal Scream‘s Bobby Gillespie has spoken out about his position in society and seemingly taken a pop at Blur‘s Alex James.The frontman, who was brought up in a working class environment, has written an essay accompanying the band’s new album ‘Come Ahead’, which is out today (November 8).In it he said: “I find myself in the strange position of being both inside and outside of [class],” which is something he “wrestles with”.In a new interview with The i, he elaborated on the statement adding: “’Wrestles’ might be overstating the case but if you’re in a successful band, you get invited to things, know people from different classes, you’ve experienced things. It’s not like you’re trying to be like the guy from Blur [Alex James] hanging out with David Cameron and what’s his name, the guy that does the driving? [Jeremy Clarkson].“That’s obviously social climbing going on there, right? I don’t mean it like that.

Blur‘s Dave Rowntree has called UK laws on assisted dying “psychopathic” as he has opened up about his ex-wife’s decision to pursue a medically-assisted death.The Blur drummer has spoken out for the first time on his ex-wife Paola Marra’s assisted death. Marra, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 and terminal bowel cancer in 2020, made the decision to end her life at Switzerland’s Dignitas, a nonprofit organisation specialising in end-of-life care options and assisted deaths.Marra made the decision to pursue a medically-assisted death due to the uncertainty and probable pain of death by bowel cancer, along with her allergies to powerful painkillers.

Blur drummer Dave Rowntree has slammed the 'psychopathic' laws on assisted death, revealing for the first time that his terminally ill ex-wife felt forced to end her life alone in Switzerland earlier this year.The 60 year old expressed his frustration over current laws that present some people with terminal illnesses with the 'brutal' choice of wanting to end their lives, but being unable to legally request assistance from others. His comments come just weeks before a new bill proposing changes to the law on assisted dying in England and Wales under strict controls is due to be published.

Liam Gallagher has been teasing fans about who the support will be for the upcoming Oasis reunion tour dates in the UK.Fans have been speculating who will be opening for the Britpop legends on their highly-awaited reunion shows after it was reported last month that Liam was seeking “established acts” to support them on tour. So far, support has only been announced for the North American leg, which will see Cage The Elephant join for all dates – visit here to buy tickets.Various names have been flying around since the band confirmed their comeback, and earlier in the year, when a fan on X/Twitter asked if Richard Ashcroft would be supporting Oasis at their 2025 live shows, Liam replied: “That would be BIBLICAL”.Now, Liam’s once again taken to Twitter/X to fan the flames of fan rumours, further suggesting Ashcroft will be joining the bill, but also teasing that Blur and Manic Street Preachers may be heading out on the road with them.Responding to one fan suggesting Damon Albarn and co.

The WAEVE‘s Graham Coxon and Rose Elinor Dougall have spoken to NME about how raising a daughter together shaped not only their view of the world, but their second album ‘City Lights’.The Blur guitarist and Pipettes singer’s second studio album swiftly follows the couple’s 2023 self-titled debut, and comes driven by what Dougall referred to “a bit more sleep deprivation”. It is inspired by their lives with young daughter, Eliza May – who has a song in her honour on the record.“We felt that we’d built a bit of momentum up with the first one, and wanted to be sure that it didn’t drop off,” Dougall told NME.

Blur and Oasis.Reportedly titled The Battle, the upcoming play is currently in development, and set to be headed to London stages by 2025.The plot will chart out the tense rivalry between the two Britpop icons, which ran throughout the ‘90s as each one rose to prominence and took over the UK music scene. It’ll also centre on the summer of 1995 – when fans went head to head, debating whether Blur would top the charts with ‘Country House’ or whether Oasis would seal the victory with ‘Roll With It’.Blur went on to win that battle, but the band’s Alex James later said that Oasis won the war.It has been written by humorist and writer John Niven – an A&R executive and former indie rocker – and it is being produced by Simon Friend, who has also worked on productions like Ghost Stories, The Girl On The Train, Life Of Pi and more.The latter spoke to Deadline recently, announcing the news of the upcoming Oasis/Blur production.

Graham Coxon has spoken to NME about Blur‘s new Live At Wembley Stadium concert film, the headlines that surrounded their Coachella performance, and what the future may hold for the band.July saw the release of To The End – a documentary directed by Transgressive Records founder Toby L. It followed the reunion of Coxon with Damon Albarn, Alex James and Dave Rowntree on their return to record 2023 comeback album ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ ahead of a tour culminating in pair of shows at London’s Wembley Stadium last summer.